> Hi - > > There's an event coming up in early September for which I'd like to make > my first regency gown, c1815. I'm interested in authenticity (will > gladly sacrifice modern notions of what is flattering to acheive it). > I'll be drafting everything myself. > > Does anyone have advice on the following: > > 1) As a matron of, ahem, mature years, I'm planning on making a corset. > Though it dates to a bit later, I thought I might go with the more > substantial corset as seen in the Kyoto Museum > http://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/1819stay.jpg) instead of the Corset รก > Ninon (http://www.regencygarderobe.com/First%20Decade%20corsetry.htm). > Any comments on that one?
Hope, I made a corset of the same style you are talking about at Costume College last year. (For those who don't know, Costume College is a weekend full of classes and events for costumers--it is held each summer in Los Angeles) I took an all day class from a lady and finished about 75% of it. It needed a little adjusting, but it came out pretty good. One word of advice, though....make the corset ALL white or ivory. Do NOT add colored accents of any kind. I put lavender bias tape around the edges and it can be seen through my gauzy white dress. Obviously I have to change it but haven't gotten the motivation yet ;~> The corset is very comfortable, just like it is supposed to be. It isn't supposed to squoosh you into an unnatural form. It is supposed to lift and separate "the girls" and just sort of smooth everything else out. My busk is too long which makes sitting a little difficult, so try to avoid making the busk go below your hip line. > This would probably mean making the gown white cotton. Would that be OK > for a ball gown, especially for someone my age? Ball gowns usually weren't white and were probably made out of more expensive fabrics. If you are trying to portray a lady of wealth and society, you may want to try to make two different gowns. They really don't take long and it will probably be easier to make another dress than to make a spencer anyway. > 4) Since the local Joann's is woefully limited when it comes to fine > cottons, I was going to order some from online (Farmhouse Fabrics? any > otheres?). Which is lighter: lawn or batiste? Recommendations either way? I think lawn is lighter than batiste. I sell it on my website for $5.60/yd and it is very soft. It is also very see-through. So maybe lawn or shirting on the outside and muslin for the lining? > (For a future day gown I was wondering if this would be appropriate: > http://webstore.quiltropolis.net/stores_app/Browse_Item_Details.asp?Shopper_id=94847281015469484&Store_id=198&page_id=23&Item_ID=8294) You betcha! I made my recent Regency out of something very similar. I can send you a picture if you like. Mine was a nylon material but it certainly gives the right look. It is very sheer so I used a shirting material (that has small stripes woven into it) as the lining fabric. It came out very nice. And I strategically placed the embroidered flowers on the bodice and sleeves to give it a great look. Well, I didn't answer all of your questions but I hope that I helped somewhat ;~> Diana www.RenaissanceFabrics.net "Everything for the Costumer" _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
